


By Your Side

by Marasa



Series: Dream Eater [7]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Blushing, Cuddling, Drug Use, Flirting, Fluff, Holding Hands, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marijuana, Migraine, Recovery, Recreational Drug Use, Shotgunning, Shyness, Smoking, Snuggling, Soft Boys, Supernatural Elements, house hunters, house hunters: renovation, i write about house hunters because that show's my guilty pleasure, tyler blushes alot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-10 07:25:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12294186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marasa/pseuds/Marasa
Summary: Even though he almost died, Josh seems to be very happy.





	By Your Side

Even though he almost died, Josh seems to be very happy.

He can’t stop smiling. He laughs more too. Tyler’s glad to see it, especially after he saw what he looked like before, bleeding and hurting. 

After he woke those some days ago, he was placed in the shower, given a change of clothes and bandages and appropriately deposited on the couch.

“Keep him comfortable,” Michael says and Tyler is all over that shit.

He constructs a fort of blankets and pillows. He brings the coffee table closer to act as a footrest for him. He provides Josh with a neck pillow and a lower back pillow. Josh doesn't really use them but he thanks Tyler anyway.

“Do you need anything?” Tyler says. “A drink? Food? I didn't bring that blanket from your bed, but I could go get it if you wanted-”

“Tyler,” Josh interrupts with a smile, “I don't need anything but thank you. All I really need is you.”

At that, Tyler blushes.

So they spend days on the couch watching trash television and talking. It's like they're on a vacation, at least that what Josh says whenever someone asks something of them.

“Can't wash the dishes- I was shot!” Josh calls from the living room before snickering to Tyler. He's teaching Tyler to laugh at what has happened and not let it scare them. He's here, he's alive- it should be a celebration.

And a celebration it is when the rest of the house disappears to the grocery store and returns with a store-bought cake.

They bring it to the living room, place it on the coffee table and adorn it with candles that they light with a zippo lighter.

Light blue icing, dark blue roses, in the center is written sloppily with runny yellow icing- “SORRY WE FUCKED UP.”

The pair on the couch roll their eyes but end up smiling anyway. They share a piece. Josh holds the plate. He takes a bite and then gives Tyler a bite. Tyler tries not to laugh when Josh keeps purposely dodging his mouth because laughter only encourages him and the cake isn't that bad.

But Josh is happier.

He's clingier too. 

He lays his head atop Tyler’s as they watch a cupcake decorating competition show. He places his arm around Tyler when his side starts aching and he needs to stretch out. His hand wanders during South Park until he finds Tyler’s hand. 

Slowly, carefully, his fingers twitch over Tyler’s and then the spirit carefully turns over his hand so that their palms are together. 

Both Josh and Tyler smile as they finally hold hands.

They hold hands a lot more often now. They'll hold hands till Tyler has to get up to go get a Red Bull or go get oreos and then when he comes back, their hands will immediately reconnect. They don't mention it. They don't have to when it feels so natural.

Josh’s recovery is coming along but some nights are harder than others. 

His side aches so much sometimes that he has trouble breathing. There are times he winces, gasps, grinds his teeth when his stitches pull when he turns a certain way. Tyler is always there, though, shushing him and easing him into a more comfortable position.

What Tyler has trouble making better is the migraines.

Josh’s head keeps bothering him. A mild concussion, maybe. Josh usually gets quiet and suddenly can't stand any form of light or sound. He writhes on the couch with his hands over his eyes and tears pushing through his fingers.

Tyler does his best to soothe his migraines but ultimately ends up feeling frustrated when he can't.

He gently trails his fingers up and down Josh’s arm before moving up to his shoulders, applying little pressure as he moves up the side of his neck and then to his head.

The spirit pets his hair and cups his hand at the back of his head and gently pushes. Josh will always groan, gasp. One time he actually gags, so they position a bucket beside the sofa.

But Tyler soothes him and guides him until the pressure is relieving the tiniest amount. Small circles into his scalp, patient and careful- Josh always ends up melting into him but he can never shake the worst of it.

Tonight, it's one of the worse nights. They're still watching television, House Hunters: Renovation- one of Josh’s favorite shows right beside X-Files and the regular House Hunters. But he's having trouble focusing. He grunts, squeezing his eyes shut in pain as he leans into Tyler’s hand that is already in his deep red hair.

“What would help, Joshua?” Tyler asks quietly, fingers pushing back his sweaty hair. Josh sucks in a shuddered breath and scrunches up his face.

“Bud.”

They don't have painkillers in the house. Not strong ones, prescription ones, anyway. It's Tyler's understanding that they're trying to eliminate a potential distraction; the temptation would be too strong for some of them.

Josh never talks about it. He alludes to it. Mark alludes to it too- an undisclosed temptation, a possible problem.

“Painkillers would help,” Tyler said one night when the entire house was kept pitch black because Josh was in intense pain at the slightest light. He just wants to help, he wants Josh to stop hurting. “Michael could get you some, Josh. He could get you a prescription-”

“It's better if they aren't in the house,” Josh whispered back before wrechting into the bucket beside them. Tyler hadn't pushed him. Instead, he slipped his hand up under the back of Josh’s shirt and spent most hours of the night gently rubbing up and down his spine as he repeatedly got sick.

But weed, weed was better for him. It was abundant in the house but they never overdid it. Even for Tyler it was better.

As a spirit, any smoke that was pungent and burning eased him. It went back to incense and candles used by the ancients. It was simply their nature for spirits to be naturally relaxed by aromatic wisps of smoke.

There are quiet footsteps behind them. Tyler turns.

“Jordan,” Tyler whispers, “can you roll him a blunt?”

Jordan, previously on his way to the kitchen, now rounds the couch and sits in the armchair by the television. He grabs the small wooden tray from the table and places it in his lap. Tyler watches him grind, sprinkle, roll and lick all as he strokes Josh’s hair and assures him, ‘almost, almost, it's coming, shh.’

Josh doesn't even open his eyes as he reaches for Tyler’s hand. He can't risk opening his eyes. His breaths sound pained, scared. The hurt plaguing him for the past few days is exhausting.

Tyler doesn't hesitate to grab his hand and stroke his thumb over his knuckles.

Jordan sets aside the small tray and gets up so he can hand the blunt to Tyler. The spirit slips it between Josh's lips. Jordan lights it. Josh inhales deeply, his desperation obvious. It smells beautiful, it makes Tyler’s eyes droop. 

Josh smirks in almost immediate relief as he peeks his eyes open. “Thanks, dude.”

“No problem at all,” Jordan says.

The brothers share a smile. Jordan pats him on the shoulder and then touches Tyler’s shoulder too, much gentler, before grabbing a Gatorade and returning back to his room. 

“Thank you,” Josh says again, to Tyler this time. He takes another drag and releases it slowly, letting it trickle out of his mouth and rise to his nostrils so he can breathe it in again.

It looks delicious, it smells wonderful, Josh’s lips are so pink behind the white fingers of smoke slipping from in between them.

The movement is intriguing. Tyler’s existed in the spirit realm what would be considered many human years but there are still things he has yet to do. For one-

“I've never smoked,” Tyler says suddenly.

Josh quirks an eyebrow. “Do you want to?”

“I can't, like…” Tyler pauses, “I don't know how to inhale. I don't wanna cough.”

Josh stares. Tyler feels stupid. 

He doesn't like the attention suddenly on him, the interpreted judgment. Here he is, a mysterious other-worldly spirit and yet he's a loser who doesn't know how to smoke. At least, that's what all the high school movies say. 

Tyler turns back to the television and turns it up just in time for the couple of television to comment on the ugly floor tile in the kitchen.

Josh squeezes Tyler’s hand. Tyler turns.

“Do you wanna shotgun it?” Josh says.

“I don't know what that means.”

Josh smiles. “You don't have to inhale it. I breathe the smoke out, you breathe it in.”

It's quiet for a moment.

“I just wanna taste,” Tyler says without even thinking. He blushes as he realizes what he’s said. It's even more embarrassing when he doesn't know for sure what he wants to taste- the smoke or Josh’s lips.

“C’mere, Tyler.” The gentle smile in Josh’s voice is evident.

Tyler’s heart is racing. He's nervous just as much as he's excited. He can feel the blush itching at his cheeks and burning the tops of his ears. He scoots closer to Josh until his entire side is against him, their shoulders pushed against each other. Josh feels warm. Tyler leans in a little.

Fingers touch just under his jaw. It's grounding, gentle. Tyler watches with wide eyes as Josh leans in a few centimeters closer, closer, closer. 

They're less than an inch away from each other. They're still holding hands.

“Is this okay?” Josh whispers. Tyler can smell the smoke on his breath. He leans in unconsciously with a near inaudible whine.

Tyler nods. “Yes.”

Josh brings up the smoldering blunt beside them. Tyler can see it in his periphery but he never breaks eye contact with Josh.

“I'm going to inhale, okay?” Josh says. “When I exhale, just breathe in with your mouth. It won't burn; it'll be too smooth for you to cough.”

“The taste…” Tyler says, eyes on Josh's lips now.

“Yes,” Josh smiles, “you'll be able to taste it.”

Slowly, Josh turns his head and takes a drag from the blunt. When he turns back, a ghost of smoke slips from his nostrils but he keeps most of it in his lungs. 

He gets closer, closer. Tyler’s eyes are half-lidded. Maybe it's the smoke already surrounding them or maybe it's instinct when Josh is so close to him, but he's leaning in to meet Josh, lips no more than five centimeters apart.

A brief pause and then, from Josh’s parted lips, tendrils of smoke lazily inch out from his mouth and reach for Tyler. Heart in his ears and fingers twitching around Josh’s, Tyler gently sucks in the smoke.

It's a pale highway of smoke between them, straight from Josh’s tongue to Tyler’s. It tastes reminiscent of fire, cedar, something earthy, with just a hint of Josh’s mouth. The spirit keens at the delicious taste as he pulls Josh’s hand into his lap.

Josh smiles widely, warmly, and squeezes Tyler’s fingers again.

It tickles his throat on the way back up. A vague body of smoke leaves his mouth in a small cloud. Tyler’s eyes flutter, he licks his lips.

“Good?” Josh asks, eyes focuses on him with what only can be described as awe.

They're still centimeters apart. They've never been this close before, never, but now that they are, Tyler realizes just how much he needs Josh to be this close.

Josh’s breath is warm and Tyler wants to taste more, he needs Josh closer. He needs to feel, to taste, to lick, he needs, needs-

“Dude, that cake is fucking bomb!” Mark shouts as he enters the room. Tyler and Josh pull away from each other faster than they ever thought was possible.

“I've already eaten two pieces today,” Mark says, oblivious to the embarrassed figures on the couch, “but I'm about to have another. Who cares.”

They wait in silence, staring at the television as Mark bustles behind them, humming and cutting a piece of cake.

“See ya, guys!” Mark says. “Goodnight!”

It's quiet again once he's gone. Tyler’s heart is still racing and he's a little shaken. But it's exhilarating, exciting. It makes him smile and look down at his lap.

Josh laces their fingers together easily. 

Tyler blushes again. He can't stop smiling. His mind is a little fuzzy, his muscle are warmer and still he needs Josh closer. He scoots closer to him so he's pressed against his side again.

The couple on television flips through different styles of kitchen tile in a book. The spirit tries to focus but his attention is pulled when Josh brings Tyler’s knuckles to his lips. 

Josh never takes his eyes from the television as he presses a gentle, chaste kiss against his knuckles.

Tyler gapes.

He can feel how wide his eyes are, just how high his eyebrows have risen. His whole face is burning with the deep blush blazing across his skin. 

On instinct, he buries his face into Josh’s shoulder to hide in his bashfulness. He hears Josh chuckle and although he whimpers, Tyler can't help but smile too.

“Hm?” Josh urges slyly. “What's up?”

Tyler makes a long groaning sound and tries to bury his face deeper into him. A thumb strokes over his knuckles. 

“Was that...okay?” Josh whispers with an inkling of uncertainty. 

Tyler smiles and nods against him. “Yes.”

The distinct feeling of soft lips press against the back of his hand again. It's so soft, so careful, so caring. It's adoring. It's reverent.

The spirit bites Josh’s sleeve.

“Tyler,” Josh chuckles, “you're gonna miss their choice of flooring, dude.”

Tyler can't help but laugh against him. Josh laughs too.

He peeks from Josh’s shoulder to see the couple standing proudly atop their new flooring, deep red tiles that compliments the stainless steel amenities.

Yeah, Tyler thinks, that flooring’s nice.

**Author's Note:**

> Idk, everyone....I have a feeling they might like each other...just a feeling ;)


End file.
